That means most of the posts this month will be related to — you guessed it — Corvids!

American Crow. Image Credit: Animal Perspectives.

Why Corvid Month?

I grew up in the DC metropolitan area and one of the first birds I was able to recognize as a child (next to the Northern Cardinal) was the Blue Jay.

The Raven

Then, because of the close proximity to the home of famous writer Edgar Allan Poe (MD and VA), I read his work at home, in high school, and in college both as an undergraduate and graduate, all of which included The Raven. I have probably read The Raven more times than any other piece of literature — and I know I’m not alone.

Family Corvidae

Fast forward a few decades to when I learned that Blue Jays and Crows are considered to be in the same family (Corvidae) and the Common Raven is actually not so common and is rather tough to find in the DC area. Mind blown!

At Home and Abroad

Furthermore, throughout my travels in Europe and from living abroad for eight years, I met other Corvidae that we simply don’t get to see on the East Coast of the United States: Eurasian Magpies, Jackdaws, and Nutcrackers — and all are a part of the same family. Awesome!

Close Encounters of the Corvid-kind

More recently I have had many close encounters of the Corvid-kind. Just near my home, I rediscovered a local Raven. When it caught my attention, I quietly lifted my camera to take some photos. It remained very close and still while I shot the photos — I whispered “thank you” then left. To see a photo from that encounter visit my Facebook Page.

Also, during this past breeding season, I watched Crows patrol and mob hawks, daily, while the Blue Jays seem to have retreated to the woods. Why did the Blue Jays retreat? I don’t know, but I hope to find out through my reading and learning about Corvids. (I will absolutely share it with you when I find out!)